06 January, 2012

Cheng Ho Court 郑和苑 @ Mines Wellness Hotel

This time around we will be expecting the early arrival of the Year of Dragon. After doing the spring cleaning and home refurbishment, it's time to treat yourself and family a quality reunion dinner at this dining outlet in a bewitching resort along with a tranquil environment.

The location of the evening is Cheng Ho Court, a Chinese oriental restaurant which not only serves Cantonese cuisine but also savouring dishes of Dim Sum. In celebration to usher the Chinese New Year, Cheng Ho Court offers a specifically prepared range of Chinese New Year Set Menu (五福臨门宴) starting from RM 788++ per table.

Approaching dawn, here's something you can enjoy before the meal---

A sand-bedded swimming lagoon of sky blue horizon and an azure lake.

Behind this door, lies a hidden gem of the restaurant---

Chef Chin Hock Seng, the mastermind chef.

With more than 27 years of culinary experience, he creates the modern gastronomic cuisine with the combination of tradition and creativity. Coupled with the fresh organic ingredients, each dishes here definitely fulfill the needs of 'wellness' for the patrons.

The glorious food is meant to be enjoyed with the traditional-looking, peaceful ambiance.

Do you ever find raw salmon in Cantonese cuisine?

This is found no other than the house specialty, Salmon Lou Sang.

#1 鸿运齐撈生 （三文鱼撈生）

Salmon Lou Sang

Each dish here has its special title, bringing an abundance of health, wealth, luck and prosperity to all.

It's time to mix the Yee Sang with its special sauce, salmon, oil, pepper powder and sesame bits.

This is my first time of Lou Sang this year, hoping the Year of Dragon brings the best for me.

If you're not a fan of salmon, here's a medley of Yee Sang selection to tantalize your whole family:

Abalone Lou Sang

Salmon and Snow Pear Lou Sang

Seaweed and Baby Octopus Lou Sang

Jellyfish Lou Sang

#2好运迎新春 （海味蟹肉翅）

Braised Assorted Dried Seafood Soup with Crabmeat

As good as the picture looks, this bowl of shark fin soup tastes great with its premium quality material.

especially the dried scallops in huge chunks here.

#3 鸿运年当头 （梅酱脆皮烧鸡）

Deep Fried Chicken with Plum Sauce

The presentation of the food may be humble but the taste is just indescribable. From what I see, I am afraid that it may taste too sour with the abundance of plum sauce. However, the whole dish is surprisingly enlivened by the plum sauce which tastes just right for me.

#4 一帆好风顺 （香辣醋汁红糟鱼）

Deep Fried Red Snapper Fish with Vinegar Sauce

Being a fish lover, I'd definitely love this if the vinegar sauce can be milder. Vinegar may not be everyone' favourite most of the time, but it does match perfectly with the red snapper fish to bring out its taste of freshness.

Here comes the next one... From here, you may say that it looks spicy?

Well, appearance can be deceiving actually :)

#5 龙马好精神 （三味焗草虾）

Baked Tiger Prawn with Special Chef Sauce

The prawns are considerably huge in size, and the baking process makes them way healthier than those deep-fried with layers of oil around the shells. Personally I'd prefer baked prawns with cheese, but the special chef sauce tastes good and gives an unique flavour too!

#6 金银堆满屋 （杏片爽菜蔬）

Stir Fried Vegetables with Almond Flakes

After all the dishes with meats, here comes something to neutralize your stomach. The fat-burning vegetables used here include asparagus and celery, which is perfect to suit my taste while munching the crunchy almond flakes. Despite of the aroma from the dish, the thick layer of chopped garlic is just too much for me. If you don't eat garlic at all, then you'd end up sorting out every bit of garlic from the dish like me.

#7 满家有添富 （团圆腊味饭）

Claypot Rice with Preserved Meat

Here's another aromatic dish which is irresistible once it is served on the table. Since this dish can be rarely found except for Chinese festive seasons, I'm looking forward to taste it. To my disappointment, the pot of claypot rice becomes tasteless without the preserved meat of duck. However, my second spoon of the chewy rice with salty meat tastes heavenly good but too much of saltiness is bad though.

#8 甜蜜迎新岁 （西柠龙眼海底椰）

Chilled Sea Coconut with Longan and Lemon

This dessert is used widely in most of the Chinese restaurants.
Fresh lemon cuts are added to enhance the taste of this dessert and I enjoyed it a lot.

#9 年年又高升 （美点映双辉）

Sweet Fancy Duets

Last but not least, the 9-course meal is concluded with these sweet duets.
While the Red Bean Mochi is fluffy and chilled inside,
the beancurd-like cubes are actually Deep Fried Yam Sticky Rice Cake.

This layer of sticky rice cake is more commonly known as Nian Gao in Chinese.

This is actually my first time of seeing such a creative combination of yam and rice cake.

Of course this mouth-watering dessert does not let me down at all :)

Thanks to Mines Wellness Hotel, I had an enjoyable, scrumptious dinner with the bloggers.

The set menu for 10 pax is priced ranging from RM788++, RM888++, RM1088+ and RM1588++,
it is definitely good place for reunions and family gatherings during this prosperous new year!

Verdict:1. The overall taste of the food is acceptable with an oriental ambiance.2. The service of the restaurant is good as dishes are served plate by plate to the diners.3. Taking care of our wellness and health, the dishes are well-prepared regardless of the meat, vegetable or dessert.

Yeah, this is a hidden gem indeed, probably coz it's so far away. I've eaten here a couple of times, they used to have a promo (they might still have it) where you get 15% or something like that off if you pay using a certain credit card (can't remember which, it's been a year since I last was there). The food is good though.

hi Huai Bin, yea i think the location is not that strategic, that's why not many people realise that their foodstuff is actually good and worth a try. they do have certain promotions from time to time, just that we have to constantly get updated with it through its website :)